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Europe weighs stablecoin oversight as digital euro timeline moves to 2029
Europe’s central bank is navigating two parallel challenges as it seeks to balance financial innovation and stability: tightening oversight of private digital currencies and advancing the development of a digital euro. European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde highlighted both issues during her December press briefing, warning that stablecoins could pose systemic risks even under the European Union’s new regulatory regime.
Stablecoins under scrutiny
Lagarde praised the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation as a milestone that gives European authorities the tools to supervise digital asset markets more effectively. The framework, fully implemented in December 2024, requires stablecoin issuers to maintain one-to-one reserves and guarantee redemption at face value.
Despite these safeguards, Lagarde cautioned that stablecoins backed by foreign currencies could undermine Europe’s monetary independence. She noted that exposure tied to non-euro reserves might increase financial vulnerabilities, especially if capital flows shift toward dollar-based assets. The European Systemic Risk Board has also voiced concern about multi-issuer stablecoins jointly created by EU and non-EU entities, which could trigger liquidity pressures during redemption runs.
Currently, US dollar-backed tokens represent nearly the entire stablecoin market, worth roughly 280 billion dollars, while euro-denominated versions account for less than 400 million euros. Lagarde warned that such dominance reinforces strategic dependence on foreign currencies within Europe’s financial architecture.
The road to a digital euro
The ECB’s digital euro project, aimed at providing a secure public alternative to private digital payments, has moved into a technical design phase following the completion of its two-year preparation stage in October 2025. Pilot programs could begin by mid-2027, pending the approval of relevant legislation expected in 2026.
Lagarde stressed that the deployment of a digital euro must ensure privacy, affordability, accessibility, and offline functionality. She underlined that decision-making now lies primarily with European lawmakers, including the European Council and Parliament, marking a shift from the ECB’s earlier leadership of the project.
At their October summit, European leaders called for faster progress to reduce reliance on non-European payment giants and reinforce monetary sovereignty. Under the Danish presidency of the EU Council, officials have set a target to agree on a general legislative approach by December 2025.
Lagarde concluded that innovation in digital finance must go hand in hand with prudence, emphasizing that financial stability and European monetary control should remain at the heart of every step toward the continent’s digital transformation.
